Why we need Girlfriends?

Girlfriends will bring casseroles and also scrub your bathroom or all floors when you are sick.

Girlfriends will keep your children, and they will keep your secrets.

Girlfriends give advice when you ask for it. 

Sometimes you take it, sometimes you don't.

and it makes no difference... either way.

Girlfriends don't always tell you that you are right.

Girlfriends might send you a birthday card, but they might not. And if they don't it does not matter in the least.

Girlfriends laugh with you and you sometimes need absolutely nothing to start the laughter.

Girlfriends don't talk about you behind your back.

Girlfriends help you out of jams, the dumps, and the blues.

Girlfriends don't keep a calendar that lets them know whose turn it is to do what.

Girlfriends will give a party for your son or daughter when they get married or have a baby in whichever order that comes!

And girlfriends are there for you in an instant, and truly... when the hard times come.

Girlfriends listen when you lose a job, a husband, or anyone dear to you.

Girlfriends will listen when your children break your heart, and will hold you when you cry.

Girlfriends will listen when your parents' minds and bodies fail, and cry with you.

When girlfriends are young, they have no idea of the incredible joys or the incredible sorrows that lay ahead of them. Nor do they know how much they will need each other. 

Young women today should take my sister-in-law's advice. "Get yourself some girlfriends." 

You're gonna need them. 

Tonight was one of my favorite nights of the year.  It is our Women's Dinner at church.   Every year women in our church host a table, deck it out in a theme or in their best dishes and then invite friends to come and enjoy a delicious dinner that they help host and serve.   There is also some type of  speaker or singer every year.  It is a great chance to catch up with friends and meet some new friends as well.  Tonight's them was "Why We Need Girlfriends."

The first year that I went I had such a wonderful time even though I knew hardly anyone that I decided that I wanted to host a table the next year.  I was scared to do it by myself ( I am not that talented in the decorating department) so I talked one of my closest friends Cindy into doing it with me.   We had a great time putting together a beach themed table complete with sand castle and shells.  No sooner than the table was cleaned off last year than we started planning for this year.  Our table theme for tonight?  What can no woman do without?

Cindy is so funny because she has a vision in her head of what she wants everything to look like and I am just there to help fulfill the vision.  Most of the times I bow to her expertise, only offering suggestions here and there.  Like when she momentarily got off track and tried to talk me into a blue and red fabric pattern when we had already decided on pink.  The night before the dinner when we go to set up, I usually sit back and watch her go to work and only jump in when needed.   I joke and tell people that I am the manual labor.  

I have been blessed to have wonderful girlfriends in my life.   Girlfriends that have done all the above and more and I am forever grateful.  Thank you to all those who have been a girlfriendto me.   Life is a journey and I am glad that you are sharing it with me.   I was also grateful tonight that I got to share table hosting duties with one of my closest girlfriends, Cindy and got to share the night with other girlfriends.

What no woman can do without....CHOCOLATE!!!

Our pink and brown chocolate fountain table was a hit with everyone

It looked beautiful when it was all lit up

This table had a live fish bowl in the center and a fish theme

Another one of the beautiful tables

All decked out for Spring

Our group of girlfriends

Weekend at Bernie's. Er... the Gamblin's

Weekends are my favorite part of the week.  I am sure they are most people's favorite part of the week.  When I was a little girl, I loved weekends because I got to spend time with my dad at his house (and he let me eat all the candy and drink all the soda I wanted).   As a teenager, I loved weekends because it meant date night with my boyfriend and time to sleep in.    In college, it was a chance to sleep in, goof off, and hang out with friends.   As a young adult, I went out on the weekends and slept late. (Are you sensing a recurrent theme with the sleeping in thing?).  Now I enjoy weekends because I get to sleep, not late, but a little later and hang out with Bud and the girls. The funny thing is that often we are busier on the weekend than we are during the week.

Friday night at our house consisted of me picking up Abby and Maddie from school, rushing home and getting them changed into soccer gear and eating a quick sandwich and then heading to the soccer fields for a game for Abby and a practice for Maddie.   Bud got home right after I left and picked Destiny up and headed to a soccer field a half hour from the house for a make-up game.   We all got home, showered and headed to bed.   

Saturday consisted of soccer pictures and games for all three girls.   We started at 10:30 at one field and ended the day at 6:00 at another field.   In that time, I also managed to sneak in a quick shopping trip to buy two birthday gifts, dropped Destiny off at a birthday party and picked her up.   Did I mention that is was 90 degrees here on Saturday?  Everyone was in a lovely mood with the heat.   We came home, grilled out, took the girls out for ice cream at McD's and then dropped Destiny off to spend the night with her friend.  I tucked a crying, sleepy Maddie into bed, watched a crazy Disney movie with Bud and Abby and folded laundry.

This morning, we overslept, missed church  and then had to pick Destiny up from her party at 11:00.  I talked to the mom too long and looked down at my watch and realized we would be late for another birthday party.  I had to dash home, drop off Destiny and pick up the two little girls.   This birthday party was held at my own particular vision of what hell could be...Chuck E. Cheese, "where a kid can be a kid" and a parent could become an alcoholic!   

Hundreds of screaming children hopped on sugar (because none of them really eat the pizza, they just drink the soda's and eat the cake) running around, a giant mouse dancing to reworked dance tunes, combined with ringing, dinging, flashing games does not make for a fun afternoon in my humble opinion.  My daughters would argue that I am sure.   Someone inevitably cries because we have run out of tokens or I won't buy them cotton candy or horror of horrors, I want them to get ready to leave.   Thank goodness there is a two hour limit on the party and when the tokens were gone we were done and out the door.   I was tempted though to ask the lady if the little invisible stamps didn't match if they would keep the kids.   

This picture took some persuading since they really were not into each other at the moment I took it.

All the kids from the party dancing .  Abby is the head next to the girl in the green shirt and between the two Chuck E. Cheese workers in red.

This is Maddie sitting and watching the craziness while sipping her Sprite.  She wanted nothing to do with the craziness.  She is so my child.  

Maddie did to Chuck E. Cheese in this picture what I have wanted to do since my first visit there as an adult.  Lop his head off!!

Behind Bars

The birthday girl with my girls.  Maddie has obviously had way too much too drink.

We got home to the beautiful site of Bud and Destiny cleaning out our pool so we can soon swim.   Bud and all the girls cleaned off our deck and did some yard work while I ran to Wal Mart for some needed groceries, an oil change and most important, a pedicure.  You gotta love how much you can get done at Wal Mart.   We grilled out with our friends/neighbors down the road and then came home to put some tired girls to bed.   Frankly, I am tired just reading about it.   Bud is now unwinding with Call of Duty 4 and I am thinking that the girls can buy their lunch tomorrow at school so that I can go and catch some shut eye.

Honestly though, I wouldn't change a thing about my weekend.  (Okay, maybe the Chuck E. Cheese thing).  I like to be busy and I am glad that the girls have so many opportunities to do things.    

In Memory of

My best friend from my early high school years died on Wednesday suddenly. She was sick and went to the ER and never came home again. She left a husband, small children, parents, brothers and sisters, and friends who loved her and cared about her.

Thank you Heather for always being such a wonderful friend and making me laugh like no one else could. I will always treasure the memories I have you. Rest in peace my sweet friend and one day we will laugh together again.

Heather C. Laros, 37, of Allentown, died Wednesday, April 22, 2009, at Lehigh Valley Hospital, Salisbury Twp. She was the wife of Thomas Scott Laros to whom she was married 9 years. Born in Baltimore, Md., she was the daughter of Patrick Harrington of New Tripoli and Jacalyn (Brownson) Taylor of Abbington, Md. and the stepdaughter of Lola Harrington. She was a member of Trinity Wesleyan Church, Allentown. Heather was a devoted wife and mother who enjoyed life and was an avid gardner and artist. She will be truly missed by all.SURVIVORS: Husband, Thomas; son, Ian Thomas and daughter, Molly Kathryn, both at home; stepchildren, Stephen, Erin and Jamie, all of Ocoee, Fla.; Harrington brothers and sisters, Patrick Jr., Adam, Amanda, Ashley, Mia, Alana, Lydia and Hallie and Rachel Tapper; Taylor brothers, Ryan, Colin and Sean; paternal grandparents, Charles and Eula Harrington and Maternal grandfather Jack Brownson, faithful companion Shelby. She was predeceased by a stepdaughter, Stephanie Laros.SERVICES: 2 p.m., Monday, April 27, 2009, at Trinity Wesleyan Church, 6735 Cetronia Rd., Allentown. Calling Noon to 2 p.m. at church.

Sad

I am sad tonight.   Sad because I realize how much my little girls are growing up and becoming big girls.   It seems like just yesterday that Bud and I were the parents of small children, now we are the parents of school age children.   Somedays I just want to stop the world and savor them a little bit longer.   

For my birthday my stepmother sent me an album filled with pictures of my dad and I and my dad with various members of our family.  It was such a sweet present.   I turned one page and the picture literally took my breath away.  It was my dad sitting on a chair in his swim trunks and t-shirt holding Abby in her sweet little swimsuit drinking a bottle.   In a heartbeat, I was there in that moment.  Feeling the warm Florida sunshine and laughing with my family and watching my dad hold my daughter and feeling such joy.   In the next instant, I heard her voice call "Mama" and turned to see her eight year old sassy self come swinging around the corner and I realized that my dad wasn't here to see the young lady that she is becoming.   And that was such a sad, sad feeling.   

Abby and Grandpa in 2005

Tonight we went rollerskating and when we got home it was the usual dash to get everything done.   I got the kids in bed and hurried to make lunches and sweep the kitchen floor and do a load of laundry and........ the list goes on and one.  Abby called me once and then again and I went in there and was so impatient with her that she disturbed me while I was trying to finish something and and she said oh so sweetly, "I'm sorry Mama, go back and do whatever you have to do."  I realized at that moment that nothing was sweeter than snuggling with my little girl and that all too soon she will be grown and leaving me and I need to savor every moment.   

Abby in 2001

Happy Easter

Easter was a bit different for us this year.   I didn't realize that it was Easter and scheduled our trip away to Gatlinburg and an indoor waterpark.  "No problem," thought I,  "I will just find a church for us to go to."  Not being in church on Easter is really unimaginable to me and the only time that I can remember not going was when Abby was 4 and had the chicken pox.   I decided that maybe a sunrise service would be nice and so I found one.   One that begin at 6:30 am on the top of a mountain that would require that we take a scenic tramlift to the top.   Did I mention the mountain was thirty minutes from where we were staying?   Everything seemed like a great idea until 4:45 this morning when we were supposed to get up to go.  Two of our children had coughed non-stop all night and they hadn't fallen asleep until 10:30 the night before.   We ended up staying in bed and missed not only the sunrise but the service as well.  I felt incredibly guilty about not going and even told God so but here is the neat thing about God, he loves us even when we don't get to church (not that I am saying that it doesn't matter if we go or not-that's a whole other discussion).   

We ended up gathering the girls up in the sunlight streaming through the window and taking turns reading the Easter story and asking questions and pondering what it felt like to be a bystander that first Easter so long ago.  I think the girls got just as much out of it as they would have had we been dressed in our Easter finest sitting in church or wrapped in our coats sitting on a mountain top.   They have all mentioned at various times today and tonight during there prayers that Jesus is risen.  Christ died on the Cross for each one of us, to take on our sins because He loved us that much and then He rose again.  My absolute favorite song to sing on Easter and I did sing it (albeit a little off key) says,

Low in the grave He lay, Jesus my Saviour

Waiting for the coming day, Jesus my Lord

Up from the grave He arose, with a mighty triumph o'er his foes

He arose the  victor from the dark domain and he lives forever with his saints to reign

He arose, He arose, Hallelujah Christ Arose!!!    

And that is what it is all about.  So no great shots of the girls in their Easter dresses.  Just a picture of the beautiful mountains we looked over as we contemplated what Christ has done for us.   

We didn't quite forget some traditions though and the girls got their baskets when they got back home tonight.  The girls don't believe in the Easter bunny.  We have never told them that there isn't one, we just never said much about him.  One day Abby and Maddie said, "We know you do the baskets" and that ended the need to hide and try to get things out before they wake up and in this case we were able to leave the baskets here and not take them with us.  They enjoyed them when they got home.   

Easter Baskets

New shiny Crocs from their baskets (in all their favorite colors)

Spring Break 2009

I thought this year that it would be a good idea to work through Spring Break and take vacation later this summer.   In some ways, it was a great decision.  It was cool and rainy this week even at the beach which is the only place I ever want to go on spring break.   I was able to save some time for later this summer when the girls and I go to Pennsylvania to see my mom and then in September when we head to Disney with Bud's parents and the great-grandparents.  In other ways, it was a crazy decision because the older girls went to soccer camp in one place and Maddie went to the babysitters (she wasn't old enough for all day soccer camp) and I was busy trying to coordinate drop-offs and pick-ups all week.  Huge thank you's to the people who helped me out this week!!

The older girls were convinced I was trying to kill them since soccer camp started on a day when it was 35 degrees out and my girls are now fun-loving Southerners who think anything below 60 is cold (and I would have to agree with them!).  They went out there armed with their hats and gloves, winter coats, sweatpants and insulated underwear.   They had a good time though and learned a few tricks that should come in handy when they start back at Y soccer this coming week.  

In the evenings we went to the movies, rollerskating with friends and then on Friday headed to Gatlinburg to Wilderness of the Smokies.  They have an indoor waterpark on site and the girls spent Saturday from 10:30 in the morning until 6:00 in the evening in the water.  Bud and I had a great time watching them and even rode some slides  with them.  I will always be traumatized by the slide that drops you almost straight down and then dumps you into a big circular thing that reminds you of being flushed down a toilet.  The girls thought it was hilarious that I could hardly speak when I got off of it.   Bud did some bodyboarding and did us proud.  We tried to get him to stand up and skimboard but he wouldn't!!  We had an incredible time and look forward to going again.

Maddie and her Daddy

Maddie looking a bit scared but actually screaming in happiness

Destiny eating water while bodyboarding

Abby with her cover girl smile and low cut swimsuit (mom needs to do some sewing)

Hanging Out

Bud bodyboarding. He did a great job

Headed to ride the slides

Daddy and his girls

Maddie concentrating hard on staying on that board.

Three tired, happy and hungry girls

 

Big Southern Nationals

Well, the day that Abby has been anticipating finally came. Saturday was the Big Southern National Cheerleading Competition. Abby has worked so hard for so many months and it all came down to this one performance. We think she did an incredible job.

(She's the one in the middle)

Abby at the beginning of her performance

Working on her scorpion

Abby with the second place trophy

Abby and Coach Deonte. "Let's go Ray's"

Abby and her Dad. He doesn't always understand cheer but he always supports her!